Masks mandatory: Miami-Dade beaches to reopen amid COVID-19, but with new rules
Face masks will be required to enter Miami-Dade County beaches when they reopen June 1 but not when visitors are in the water or maintaining social distance, according to a draft guide to reopen beaches circulated by the county.
Sunbathing, walking and jogging will be allowed, as will the renting of beach concessions like lounge chairs and umbrellas. But no groups bigger than 10 people will be allowed to gather, and common areas like picnic tables and playgrounds will stay off limits.
Signs will be posted at the beach highlighting “do and don’t” activities and warning of the “consequences for non-adherence,” like removal from the beach.
The preliminary guidelines were shared with Miami Beach commissioners ahead of a 12 p.m. meeting Sunday between officials from the county and its coastal communities.
The commission voted Friday to reopen its beaches and hotels June 1, and the county issued a statement marking that day as its target date for reopening beaches countywide.
“The draft guidelines were prepared by County staff with input from the city managers, medical personnel convened by the County and County Parks staff,” Miami Beach City Manager Jimmy Morales said in an email to the commission on Sunday.
Miami-Dade County has seen 16,885 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 631 deaths as of Sunday, when state officials announced 189 new cases in the county.
Here are the rules
You will be turned away from the beach if you don’t have a “facial covering ready to use at all times,” the guidelines say.
“Facial coverings must be worn when social distancing of six feet cannot be achieved, except for members of the same household and except when in the water,” according to the guidelines.
Facial coverings will be required at beach restrooms and at concession stands, and access to restrooms will be limited to observe social distancing.
Walking and jogging will be permitted, but using one-way or separate trails when possible. Sunbathing and lounging on personal chairs and towels will also be allowed, if six feet of distance is kept between visitors not in the same household.
Organized or group activities, like volleyball or Frisbee, will remain off limits. But swimming, surfing, kayaking and paddleboarding are all allowed.
No fishing or “special events,” like picnics, will be allowed.
The beach plan for Miami-Dade differs somewhat from the plan in Broward County, where beaches will reopen Tuesday, May 26.
Unlike in Miami-Dade, sitting and sunbathing on the beach won’t be allowed in Broward, according to an executive order released Friday.
The Broward order bans gatherings of more than 10 people and requires a distance of six feet between non-family members, but it doesn’t say anything about masks.
Police will stand guard
Police services “are required” when beaches reopen, and beach “ambassadors” will be assigned to keep watch over visitors. The county recommends assigning two ambassadors per block during “peak periods.”
“After reopening, ambassador assignments can be reassessed to reassign the appropriate number of staff based on usage of various beaches,” the guidelines say. “Use of ambassadors can be phased out when there is empirical evidence that beachgoers understand and are abiding by the requirements.”
This story was originally published May 24, 2020 at 1:54 PM.
.JPG)
